Blake Lively lawsuit: $161 million claim for damages amid online attacks
In a major Hollywood legal case, actress Blake Lively is demanding $161 million in damages, alleging she became the target of a coordinated smear campaign during the release of the film It Ends With Us.
According to her lawyers, the campaign inflicted both financial and reputational harm, severely affecting her career and related business ventures. The lawsuit claims the alleged defamation efforts were retaliatory, following her reports of sexual harassment on set.
Claims of financial and reputational damage
- Lively’s team estimates a loss of $56.2 million in income from acting, production roles, speaking events, and brand endorsements.
- Her beauty line, Blake Brown, purportedly suffered $49 million in losses.
- Her beverage brands, Betty Buzz and Betty Booze, reported a combined $22 million in financial setbacks.
- Attorneys also cite $34 million in reputational harm due to 65 million negative social media mentions linked to the alleged campaign.
Background and legal action
Lively first filed her lawsuit on December 31, 2024, naming co-star and director Justin Baldoni, producer Jamey Heath, studio head Steve Sarowitz, and their publicists.
The filing portrays the situation as an organized attempt to damage Lively’s image and career in response to her workplace misconduct claims.
Author's Summary
Lively accuses several Hollywood figures of orchestrating a smear campaign that caused over $160 million in combined financial and reputational damages.